Dwarves - Tolkien Gateway Dwarves Dwarves "Who told you, and who sent you?" — Gandalf This article or section needs more/new/more-detailed sources to conform to a higher standard and to provide proof for claims made. Dwarves "A bunch of dwarves" by Alarie General Information Stocky; bearded; never bald; especially hardy and loyal; notoriously stubborn Hair color Blond, brown, black, blue, red, and (when older) grey or white Weaponry Images of Dwarves "Since they were to come in the days of the power of Melkor , Aulë made the dwarves strong to endure. Therefore they are stone-hard, stubborn, fast in friendship and in enmity, and they suffer toil and hunger and hurt of body more hardily than all other speaking peoples; and they live long, far beyond the span of Men, yet not forever." The Dwarves, or Khazâd in their own tongue, were beings of short stature, often friendly with Hobbits although long suspicious of Elves . They were typically blacksmiths and stoneworkers by profession, unrivaled in some of their arts even by the Elves.

While there were several tribes (Houses) of the Dwarves, the most prominent was that of the Longbeards . Contents [ edit ] Origin Unlike Elves and Men , the Dwarves are not counted among the Children of Ilúvatar . Their creator was Mahal , known as Aulë the Smith. Aulë created the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves , from whom all other Dwarves are descended, deep beneath an unknown mountain somewhere in Middle-earth . However, Aulë did not have the divine power to grant independent life to any creation, and the dwarves were bound to his will. Ilúvatar came and reprimanded Aulë, who confessed his desire to create more living things, but in repentance lifted his hammer to destroy the dwarves. Even as the blow was about to land, the dwarves cowered and begged for mercy, as Ilúvatar had taken pity and given true life to the creations of his child, including them in His plan for Arda . However, Ilúvatar did not wish them to wake before the Elves , whom he intended to be the first-born.

Ilúvatar granted the Dwarves life, and therefore they are known as the Adopted Children of Ilúvatar, but he bade Aulë lay them to sleep in their chamber deep beneath the mountain, and they were to awake after the Awakening of the Elves . [1] Dwarves as portrayed in The Battle for Middle-earth II game. The Seven Fathers awoke in their places in pairs with their wives, though Durin I had awoken alone. The seven different groups of Dwarf-folk originated in the locations where the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves first awoke. [2] [3] The seven clans of the Dwarves were: Firebeards and Broadbeams , originally from Nogrod and Belegost . Ironfists and Stiffbeards , originated in the Orocarni in the far East. Blacklocks and Stonefoots , originated in the Orocarni. Durin settled in the caves above Kheled-zâram which later became the greatest of Dwarf realms, Khazad-dûm . Therefore the halls of the Longbeards were not located near the halls of another Dwarf-kingdom.

There was also an eighth group of Dwarves that was not a separate member from these seven kindreds, but composed of exiles from each: the Petty-dwarves , who were hunted like animals to the point of extinction by the Elves in the First Age. [ edit ] First Age The Dwarves for many years did not know any other folk, until Firebeards and Broadbeams had their first meeting with the Elves in Beleriand in the year 1250 of the Years of the Trees . From that time on there was friendship between the Sindar and the Dwarves, and they began exchanging knowledge and creating ring-mails and many other works; the Dwarves of Nogrod were unmatched in Middle-earth in smithing. They delved the caves of Menegroth , and adopted the writing of Daeron . It was the Dwarves who told the Sindar about Orcs attacking their Elven kin on the other side of the mountains, which prompted King Thingol to begin a build up of arms which the Dwarves made for him. Later on a great army of Orcs attacked the Elves, but in the First Battle of Beleriand were defeated and fled.

Those that got away ran south right into an army of Dwarves who issued from Mount Dolmed and destroyed them. After the Return of the Noldor , Finrod Felagund desired to settle himself in the Caves of Narog and the Dwarves of the Ered Luin aided him and gave him the dwarven name Felak-gundu ( Felagund ). They eventually made for him the Nauglamír . This necklace without equal contained one of the Silmarils , and sparked jealousy and conflicts over its true ownership. These initial conflicts receded by the beginning of the Second Age, but were rekindled to a new intensity by the discord sown by Sauron . They eventually created a rivalry and mistrust between Elves and Dwarves that endured to the end of the Third Age, when Gimli the Dwarf bridged the distance between the two races by developing a deep admiration for lady Galadriel and forming a strong friendship with Legolas the Elf. Things finally came to a head between the forces of Morgoth and the Elves, Men, and Dwarves in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad .

The Dwarves fought for the Union of Maedhros In early Second Age most of the Firebeards and Broadbeams houses migrated to Khazad-dûm from their cities in the Blue Mountains which were ruined during the sinking of Beleriand. [ edit ] Second Age The Dwarves had little participation in most of the important events involving the other races. However their friendship with the Elves perhaps became more close than ever; the Dwarves of Moria maintained close connections to the Gwaith-i-Mírdain of Eregion ; the Doors of Durin of Moria were built to facilitate the communication between the two people, and was constructed jointly by both races. When Eregion was sacked by Sauron 's forces, the Dwarves assailed them from behind however it was too late to stop him from conquering all Eriador . [4] Liz Danforth - Annatar and the seven rings When " Annatar " distributed the Rings of Power, he gave seven to Dwarf Lords in order to subdue and control them. However, they did not have the same effect as they did over Men. Dwarves did not shift into the wraith-world and in fact resisted domination.

The Rings only augmented their greed and ability to create riches. At the end of the Age, very few Dwarves participated in the great War , with some joining the side of Sauron . Some of the Dwarves of Moria joined the great host of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men . [5] [ edit ] Third Age Angus McBride - The Dwarves are upon You! In Third Age 1980 , after centuries of greedy digging for mithril and other minerals, the Dwarves woke a Balrog that was sleeping in the deeps of the Misty Mountains since the First Age. The Dwarves fled Khazad-dum, which from then on was called Moria, which means "Black pit". Most of Durin's folk left for the Grey Mountains in the North, while some followed the new king, Thráin I , who briefly went to Erebor in T.A. 1999 . For more than 300 years the Dwarves of the Grey Mountains prospered until the Dragons in the far North started to gain strength. Some fled to the Iron Hills , while most followed the the new king Thrór to Erebor to start a new Kingdom under the Mountain .

There, they prospered for over 200 years until the dragon Smaug descended in T.A. 2770 . The King and his company went in exile South, while most of the survivors went to the Iron Hills. Durin's folk settled in Dunland , and in T.A. 2790 King Thrór traveled North to Moria where he was killed by the Goblin king Azog . Thrór's son Thráin II (who had received the Last of the Seven Rings from his father before his departure) summoned all the Houses of Dwarves to war. Thus began the War of Dwarves and Orcs , in which the Dwarves destroyed all the Goblin strongholds in the Misty Mountains culminating to the great Battle of Azanulbizar where all the dwarven clans united. The Goblin hosts issuing from Moria were strong and relentless until the arrival of fresh Dwarves of the Iron Hills . The Battle ended with the victory of Dwarves, but at great cost. The Dwarven clans however were unwilling to repopulate Moria. Thráin therefore came to the Blue Mountains and established his realm there.

Angelo Montanini - Dori The Wizard Gandalf was instrumental into helping Thráin's son Thorin in reclaiming the Kingdom of Erebor. Thorin gathered around him twelve dwarves , mostly from his own line, and was joined by Gandalf and Bilbo Baggins . The Quest of Erebor ended with the death of Smaug . After a quarrel with the Men and Elves over the unguarded hoard, the Dwarves - assisted by those from the Iron Hills - united with the Men and Elves to fight the attacking Goblins and Wargs, in what was called the Battle of Five Armies , where Thorin was killed. [ edit ] Fourth Age Not much is known about the Dwarves in the Fourth Age . After the War of the Ring , Gimli brought a part of Durin's Folk from Erebor to the Glittering Caves behind Helm's Deep and founded a colony there. Subsequently, Gimli went on many travels with his friend Legolas, and History lost track of their fate. Through their friendship and influence, the feud between the two races that had lasted for millennia finally ended, shortly before the departure of the last Elves from Middle-earth.

It is rumored that Gimli and Legolas eventually boarded a ship that sailed down the river Anduin, out to sea and across to Valinor in the year Fo.A. 120 . Gimli would thus have become the only Dwarf to ever be permitted to cross to the Undying Lands. Durin VII (the Last), retook Moria and brought Khazad-dûm back to its original splendor, and the Longbeards lived there till the "world grew old and the days of Durin's race ended". [ edit ] Nature They were 4.5 - 5 feet (1.35 - 1.52 m) tall and their more distinctive characteristic was their beard which they have from the beginning of their lives, male and females alike; and which they shave only in shame. [6] As creations of Aulë, they were attracted to the substances of Arda and crafts. They mined and worked precious metals throughout the mountains of Middle-earth, but had a tendency toward gold lust, and committed their share of rash and greedy acts.

Among these was the dispute over the Nauglamír , which led to the slaying of Elu Thingol and stirred up the initial suspicion between Elves and Dwarves to open hatred. [5] Dwarves generally lived far from the sea and avoided getting on boats, as they disliked the sound of the ocean and were afraid of it. [7] [ edit ] Hardiness The Dwarves were created by Aulë to be strong, resistant to fire and the evils of Morgoth. They were hardier than any other race, secretive, stubborn, and steadfast in enmity or loyalty. Despite their short stature, they were known for their strength and endurance in battle, as well as their fury, particularly when avenging their fallen kin, and for being some of the greatest warriors in all of Middle-earth. They fought valiantly in many wars and battles over the Ages holding axes. [6] Sickness was almost unknown to the Dwarves, as they were immune to human diseases. [8] They were generally less corruptible than Men.

When Sauron attempted to enslave the Free Folk of Middle-earth using the Rings of Power , the Elves completely resisted his power (indeed, his hand had never sullied the Three Rings ), while the Nine Rings utterly corrupted the Men who bore them into the Ringwraiths . In contrast, the Dwarves were sturdy and resistant enough that Sauron was not able to dominate them using the Seven Rings . At most, the Seven Rings sowed strife among the Dwarves and filled their wearers with an insatiable greed for gold, but they did not turn them into wraiths subservient to the Dark Lord, and he considered his plan to have failed. Sauron was furious at the Dwarves' resistance, spurring his drive to recapture the Seven Rings from them. Another example was Gimli , who, while Saruman used the power in his voice and the Rohirrim were spell-bound by his magic, Gimli was unmoved and commented that Saruman's words cannot be trusted, causing Saruman to be angered enough to lose his charm. [9] [ edit ] Lifespan The lifespan of Dwarves was varied depending on their ancestry.

The Longbeards were particularly long-lived, but by the Third Age their lifespan was diminished and they lived, on average, 250 years. Until they were around 30 years of age, Dwarves were considered too young for heavy labor or war (hence the slaying of Azog by Dain Ironfoot at age 32 was a great feat). By the age of 40, Dwarves were hardened into the appearance that they would keep for most of their lives. Between the approximate ages of 40 and 240, most Dwarves were equally hale and able to work and fight with vigor. They took on the appearance of age only about ten years before their death, wrinkling and greying rapidly, but never going bald. Occasionally they would live up to 300 years of age, and Dwalin reached the rare lifespan of 340 years (comparable to a Middle Man living to 100). [8] Although Dwarves did not suffer from diseases, corpulence could affect them. In prosperous circumstances, many grew fat by the age of 200 and became physically inept.

[8] [ edit ] Culture and family The Dwarves' numbers, although they sometimes flourished, often faced periods of decline, especially in periods of war. The slow increase of their population was due to the rarity of Dwarf-women , who made up only about a third of the total population. Dwarves seldom wedded before the age of ninety or more, and rarely had so many as four children. They took only one husband or wife in their lifetime, and were jealous, as in all matters of their rights. The number of Dwarf-men that married was actually less than a third, for not all the Dwarf-women took husbands; some desired none, some wanted one they could not have and would have no other. Many Dwarf-men did not desire marriage because they were absorbed in their work. [10] [8] Dwarf-women seldom walked abroad, and that only in great need. When they did travel, they were so alike Dwarf-men in voice, appearance, and garb that it was hard for other races to tell them apart. They were likewise seldom named in genealogies, joining their husbands' families.

The only Dwarf-woman named in Tolkien's legendarium is Dís , sister of Thorin Oakenshield, who was given a place in the records because of the gallant deaths of her sons, Fíli and Kíli. The scarcity of women, their rare mention, and their identical looks with the males, coupled with the Dwarves' secretive culture, led many to mistakenly believe that Dwarves were born out of stone, and upon death they returned to that stone. [10] [8] Dwarves are fiercely devoted to their parents and children. In their desire for their children to grow up hardy and enduring, they may treat them harshly, but they will protect them at all costs. Dwarves resent injuries to their children and to their parents more than injuries to themselves. [8] [ edit ] Religion The Dwarves loved and revered the Vala Aulë. [7] [1] Of old the Elves believed that the Dwarves would have no future in Arda Unmarred , but the Dwarves themselves held to a promise that Ilúvatar would hallow them and adopt them as his Children.

They maintained that after death Aulë (Mahal) cared for them, gathering them to the Halls of Mandos with the other Children of Ilúvatar, though in halls set apart. It is said that after the Last Battle they will work alongside Aulë in the remaking of Arda. [1] [ edit ] Language The Dwarven language was created by Aulë, and was called Khuzdul . It was a strange language to Elves and Men, and few non-Dwarves learned it, because it was difficult, and the Dwarves kept it secret, preferring to communicate in the languages of their neighbors. Only one Khuzdul phrase was well known to outsiders: the ancient battle cry, going back to at least the First Age: "Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu!", which means "Axes of the Dwarves! The Dwarves are upon you!". The Dwarves taught Khuzdul carefully to their children, as a learned language, not a cradle-tongue, and thus the language changed very little over the ages, unlike those of other races.

The Dwarves also devised a secret language of gestures to communicate between themselves in silence, the iglishmêk . [11] [ edit ] Names The Dwarves called themselves the Khazâd , the name Aulë gave them; this is adapted as Hadhod rim in Sindarin , and Casar i in Quenya . Casari was the common word for Dwarves among the Noldor , but the Sindar usually called them Naugrim or Nogothrim, the Stunted People. [12] An epithet for the Dwarves in Quenya was Auleonnar, meaning "offspring of Aule". [13] In their dealings with people of other races, the Dwarves did not reveal their true names, rather adopting new names in other languages (the petty-dwarves were an exception). During the Third Age, the Longbeards used northern Mannish names in public. [ edit ] Inspiration Almost all the names of the Dwarves of Middle-earth are taken from the Old Norse Völuspá . According to Tolkien, the "real 'historical'" plural of dwarf is dwarrows or dwerrows.

He once referred to dwarves as "a piece of private bad grammar" ( Letters , 17), but in Appendix F to The Lord of the Rings he explains that if we still spoke of dwarves regularly, English might have retained a special plural for the word dwarf as with man. The form dwarrow only appears in the word Dwarrowdelf, a name for Moria . Tolkien used Dwarves, instead, which corresponds with Elf and Elves, making its meaning more apparent. The use of a different term also serves to set Tolkien's Dwarves apart from the similarly-named creatures in mythology and fairy-tales. The enduring popularity of Tolkien's books, especially The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings , has led to the popular use of the term dwarves to describe this race in fantasy literature. Before Tolkien, the term dwarfs (with a different spelling) was used, as seen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In fact, the latter spelling was so common that the original editor of The Lord of the Rings "corrected" Tolkien's dwarves to dwarfs ( The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien , 138).

[ edit ] Other versions of the Legendarium In the earliest versions of Tolkien's Middle-earth mythology (see: The History of Middle-earth ) the dwarves were evil beings created by Melkor . In an earlier version of the legendarium it is hinted that the Dwarves do not know about Ilúvatar, or that they disbelieve his existence, but later writings contradict that suggestion. [14] SparkNotes: The Hobbit: Character List Character List Analysis of Major Characters Individual Characters Bilbo Baggins - The hero of the story. Bilbo is a hobbit, “a short, human-like person.” Commonsensical and fastidious, Bilbo leads a quiet life in his comfortable hole at Bag End and, like most hobbits, is content to stay at home. But Bilbo possesses a great deal of untapped inner strength, and when the wizard Gandalf persuades Bilbo to join a group of dwarves on a quest to reclaim their gold from a marauding dragon, Bilbo ends up playing a crucial role as the company’s burglar. Bilbo’s adventures awaken his courage and initiative and prove his relentless ability to do what needs to be done.

Gandalf - A wise old wizard who always seems to know more than he reveals. Gandalf has a vast command of magic and tends to show up at just the moment he is needed most. Though he helps the dwarves in their quest (not least by making Bilbo go along with them), he does not seem to have any interest in their gold. He always has another purpose or plan in mind, but he rarely reveals his private thoughts. Read an in-depth analysis of Gandalf. Thorin Oakenshield - A dwarf who leads his fellow dwarves on a trip to the Lonely Mountain to reclaim their treasure from Smaug. Smaug’s bounty is Thorin’s inheritance, as it belonged to Thror, Thorin’s grandfather, the great King under the Mountain. Thorin is a proud, purposeful, and sturdy warrior, if a bit stubborn at times. As the novel progresses, his inability to formulate successful plans, his greed, and his reliance on Bilbo to save him at every turn make Thorin a somewhat unappealing figure, but he is partly redeemed by the remorse he shows before he dies.

Gollum - A strange, small, slimy creature who lives deep in the caves of Moria beneath the Misty Mountains. There, Gollum broods over his “precious,” a magic ring, until he accidentally loses it and Bilbo finds it. We never learn exactly what kind of creature he is. Apparently, his true shape has been too deformed by years of living in darkness to be recognizable. Smaug - The great dragon who lives in the Lonely Mountain. Years ago, Smaug heard of the treasure that the dwarves had amassed in the mountain under Thror’s reign, and he drove them away to claim the gold for himself. His flaming breath can scorch a city, his huge wings can carry him great distances, and his armorlike hide is almost impenetrable. Smaug can speak and possesses a dark, sardonic sense of humor. Bard - The grim human who is the honorable captain of the guard in Lake Town, a human city built on Long Lake just south of the Lonely Mountain. With the help of information discovered by Bilbo and related by a thrush, Bard finds Smaug’s weak spot and kills him.

Beorn - A man who can turn into a bear, Beorn helps Bilbo and the dwarves after their escape from the goblins. Elrond - The great leader of the elves at Rivendell. Elrond gives Bilbo’s group aid and helpful advice when they pass through Rivendell early in the novel. He is described in Chapter 3 as being “as strong as a warrior, as wise as a wizard, as venerable as a king of dwarves, and as kind as summer.” Dark Lord Sauron - An evil sorcerer and creator of the magic ring. Also called the Necromancer, Sauron is only mentioned in The Hobbit; he never actually appears. Thror - Thorin’s grandfather. Thror mined Moria, a series of caves under the Mountain, and discovered a wealth of gold and jewels. He became King under the Mountain, but before long, the dragon Smaug came and killed or scattered all of Thror’s people. The dragon has been guarding the treasure ever since, and Thorin wants to get back what is rightfully his.

Races Dwarves - Thorin’s group, composed of Fili, Kili, Dwalin, Balin, Oin, Gloin, Ori, Dori, Nori, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur, none of whom is really developed as an individual character in the novel. The narrator describes dwarves unfavorably in Chapter 12, noting their greed and trickery. Some, however, are “decent enough people like Thorin and Company, if you don’t expect too much.” Elves - The first creatures in Middle-Earth. Immortal unless killed in battle, they are fair-faced, with beautiful voices, and have a close communion with nature, which makes them wonderful craftsmen. There are actually two different varieties of elves: the wood elves and the high elves. The wood elves reside in Mirkwood and, as a result, have more suspicious and less wise tendencies than their high relatives. Humans - Humans appear in the settlement of Lake Town near the Lonely Mountain. Tolkien emphasizes their mortality, their lack of wisdom, their discordance with nature, and their rampant feuding, but he does not describe humans as inherently evil in the same way that he characterizes goblins and Wargs.

Trolls - Short-tempered and dull-witted creatures who will eat just about anything, the trolls are based on mythological creatures taken from Old English and Anglo-Saxon poems and on figures from popular fairy tales and folklore. Tolkien has them speak with a cockney accent, the dialect of lower-class Londoners, which injects a modern joke into the fantasy epic. Goblins - Evil creatures encountered by Bilbo and company in Chapter 4. Goblins are infamous for their ability to make cruel weapons and torture devices. Wargs - Evil wolves that join forces with the Goblins at the Battle of the Five Armies in Chapters 17 and 18. The Wargs haunt and pursue Bilbo and the dwarves soon after Bilbo acquires the ring. Bolg - Tolkien Gateway Bolg "Bolg of the North" [1] Position [ edit ] History Bolg was the son of Azog , [1] who succeeded his father as leader of the northern Orcs after Azog was killed by Dáin Ironfoot at the Battle of Azanulbizar in Third Age 2799 .

[2] This started Bolg's hatred towards the Dwarves and after the Great Goblin was killed during an encounter with Thorin and Company in T.A. 2941 , his hatred for them grew even more.[ source? ] Bolg gathered an army of Orcs from the Misty Mountains to their capital at Mount Gundabad . They marched eastward through the Grey Mountains with a host of Wargs and a cloud of bats overhead. [1] Once they reached the Lonely Mountain , Bolg led the Orcs and Wargs into battle with the Dwarves, Wood-elves , and Lake-men . Surrounding him was a group of huge Orcs with steel scimitars. [1] When Thorin attempted to pierce their ranks he became surrounded, and would later die from the wounds he sustained. The Eagles arrived and after them came Beorn in the shape of a bear. Beorn killed Bolg and the Orcs and Wargs were soon defeated. [3] [ edit ] Etymology There have been several attempts to give a meaning of the name Bolg. One is a regular Orkish treatment of Boldog , another a connection to Westron bolg .

In The History of The Hobbit , a word from a little known and little expanded language, Mágol , is given, bolg, which means "strong". Tolkien at one time considered making Mágol an Orkish language. An Ivernian word "bolg", of unknown meaning, is also cited by Rateliff . [4] 2012: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey : Bolg is played by Conan Stevens in this film via practical costume. [5] He makes a brief appearance during the Battle of Azanulbizar , where he is seen fighting against Dwalin during the flashback to the battle outside Moria , until he is incapacitated and knocked down. He is, however, never actually identified as being Bolg in the film. [note 1] 2013: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug : Bolg is played by Lawrence Makoare via motion capture in this film. Azog - who survives the War of the Dwarves and Orcs in these films - is summoned to Dol Guldur to become the commander of Sauron 's Orc armies.

While there, Azog dispatches his son Bolg to take his place in hunting Thorin and Company. With his pack of Orcs, Bolg tracks Thorin and Company through Mirkwood , attacks the Wood-elves as the Company escapes in barrels, and eventually follows the Dwarves to Lake-town . At Lake-town, Bolg and a team of stealth-Orcs raid Bard's home in search of the Dwarves, but find only four. When they attack, they are in turn attacked by two Elves : Legolas and Tauriel . He goes after Legolas, and the two begin a duel (in which the Elf uses Orcrist , the weapon of Thorin ). However, the two adversaries prove to be evenly-matched, so Bolg decides to make his retreat. While Legolas is distracted by other Orcs, Bolg withdraws and rides a Warg down a dock. He is then pursued by Legolas, now on a horse. 2014: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies : Once again performed via motion capture, Bolg is played by John Tui this time.

He is first seen in this film when he meets his father who is leading Sauron's forces to capture Erebor . When he realises Elves will come to Erebor, Azog sends Bolg to lead a separate Orc army detachment raised in Gundabad . Arriving with an advance force, he aids his father against Thorin Oakenshield 's commando team on Ravenhill , nearly kills the Elf Tauriel, and slays the Dwarf Kíli when he comes to her defense. Soon afterwards, however, he is confronted and killed by Legolas, who drives one of his battle-knives into his head. Bolg's body subsequently falls of the mountain and is crushed by a boulder falling on top of it. Images of Bolg Notes ↑ While Bolg was redesigned for motion capture performance and recast for the two following films, Conan Stevens does reprise this character as the Orc dungeon keeper at Dol Guldur in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies who torments Gandalf as he is imprisoned there.

The Orc also attempts to reclaim Narya from the Wizard for his master right before being vanquished by Galadriel upon her arrival, though this segment only occurs in the film's Extended Edition References The Hobbit’s dwarves: Too hot to handle? | Hobbit Movie News and Rumors | TheOneRing.net™ The Hobbit’s dwarves: Too hot to handle? December 4, 2012 at 12:19 pm by maegwen - Two years ago I wrote a story asking the question, “To be Hot or Not? That is the Dwarf Question.” While essentially a joke — one which spread like wildfire – a real concern for some fans prior to casting “The Hobbit” was whether or not a film featuring a supporting cast of 13 short hairy men would be interesting to studios and audiences unless those short hairy men were transformed into attractive short-statured hunks, the likes of which would send diehards into fits of horror. The question was, would the filmmakers be forced to go that route, and also – did we want them to? Should there be Hot Dwarves?

(From here on this will contain minor spoilers, so those of you who wish to remain “pure,” turn back now.) ++++++++++ With the casting of Richard Armitage as Thorin, the leader of the dwarves, we couldn’t help but admit that we were conflicted. Supremely talented actor. But could he look dwarflike? Did he have to? Wait, yes, he has to. But should he? Head said yes, hormones said no. Shut up hormones. As the other actors were added, fans’ questions grew. And as stills of costumed dwarves began rolling out, the discussions raged on in fandom – Were the dwarves too cute? Too bad-assed? Too dwarvish? Not dwarvish enough? Too KLINGON? Second guessing gave way to infinity-guessing. The movie a year or more off, poring over images and studying production diaries provided much fodder for speculators. Beyond Thorin, beyond Aidan Turner’s Kili and Dean O’Gorman’s Fili, the whole company was under intense scrutiny. With the exception of Thorin, dwarves aren’t the leading characters in “The Hobbit” and yet the film would live or die on them.

Too comical and audiences wouldn’t buy into the story. Too Hollywood-handsome and audiences wouldn’t buy into the story. Should they fade into the background entirely then it simply wouldn’t be “The Hobbit.” Nor if they became Robo-Dwarves-of-Doom, chewing on the scenery. So, with the “Unexpected Journey” finally here, how did it all turn out? Fabulous. No, Thorin does not harken back to the droopy-eyed Rankin Bass incarnation, nor does he resemble Tolkien’s description of a blue-hooded, silver-tasseled grump. But neither is he a Chippen-dwarf. He embodies the essence of the character – the haughty nobility, the impatience and simmering anger. The sadness. This is not the hot dwarf you were looking for, but so much more. Voice, body language, costume, prosthetics – all combine to transform Armitage into the strong, surly Thorin Oakenshield. One dimensional images fade from mind and the focus shifts to the character in action, as it should. It will be interesting to see where the second and third films take Thorin.

At the conclusion of “Unexpected Journey” he has an emotional encounter with Bilbo – much, much earlier in the action than what occurs in the text. And that exchange adds another layer to a complexity that outweighs looks. And what about the rest of the company? While “The Hobbit” on page is essentially a child’s tale, Peter Jackson hasn’t filmed a child’s tale. There is a vein of darkness running through the movie, brought by material added from the appendices and the established “Lord of the Rings” visual style. For the action scenes to be believable – particularly in the higher frame-rate and in 3D – the dwarves must be warrior-like, to appear capable of fighting with the agility and intensity required. In the company of these dwarves, Gimli would appear soft. And yet, the dwarves retain a whimsicality that makes them distinct. Like Thorin, their appearance is an expression of personality. With less time at the forefront, how they look is a large part of how we get to “know” them. Balin with his luxurious white beard, the elder of the company. Bofur’s quirky cap and quick wit. The soft-spoken Ori in his cowled hood.

But the things that seemed over the top in stills – Bifur with the axe-impaled forehead – aren’t in your face. Remarkably, at least in “Unexpected Journey,” we’re spared Bombur sight-gags. Which brings us to Kili and Fili. No, they do not look like dwarves. Kili even less so than Fili. Even in the company of dwarves, they do not look like dwarves. And yet, they look as if they belong with the dwarves. And while I’m pretty sure that might not make sense, I think once people see the film, you’ll understand what I mean. In the context of their behavior and actions – they work as dwarves. They fight like dwarves. It helps that Peter has not indulged in long, lingering, soft-focused glamor shots of Aidan Turner or Dean O’Gorman. Thank you, Peter. While looks are possibly one of the more trivial aspects of the film – seriously, I do recognize the ridiculousness in all of this – a noticeable amount of effort has been put into crafting each dwarf’s appearance and then stepping back from focusing on it. It’s a measure of subtlety we didn’t expect.

++++++++++ In the meantime, the phrase “Hot Dwarves” has spread across the globe since my story was first published. At San Diego Comic-Con this summer, Carrie Fisher fell for our “I <3 Hot Dwarves” t-shirt. In Wellington, Aidan Turner, who wanted a shirt for his own, was gifted with a “Hot Dwarves” button. The phrase crops up in most stories I’ve read, is at alluded to in many interviews, raises its head in pop-culture memes and … well, last week showed up on the red carpet of the world premiere itself. [ Watch ] “How do you feel about being one of the pin-ups in the The Hobbit,” said an interviewer to Richard Armitage. ”I thought you were going to say ‘hot dwarf.’” he graciously responded with some humor. As I said at TheOneRing.net’s Comic-Con panel: Thank you, Richard, for being such a good sport. Bravo! Dwarves | The One Wiki to Rule Them All | Fandom powered by Wikia Creation "Aulë Prepares to Destroy His Children." Illustration, by Ted Nasmith.

The Dwarves were made by Aulë , whom they themselves call Mahal, meaning “maker.” Aulë was unwilling to wait for the coming of the Children of Ilúvatar , for he was impatient and desired to have someone to teach his lore and crafts. Therefore, he made the first Seven Fathers of the Dwarves in secret in a hall under the mountains of Middle-earth . It was, however, not within Aulë's power to create life. After being reprimanded by Ilúvatar and realizing his error, Aulë offered his creations to his father to do with as he would, including their destruction. Even as the offer was made, Ilúvatar accepted and gave the Dwarves a life of their own. So when Aulë picked up a great hammer to smite the Seven Fathers and destroy his presumptuous creations, they shrank back in fear and begged for mercy. Ilúvatar was however not willing to suffer that the Dwarves should come before the Firstborn ( Elves ), and he decreed that the Seven Fathers should sleep underground and should not come forth until the Firstborn had awakened.

[2] First Age About a century after the Elves awakened, the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves were roused. Of those seven, only the name of one is known, Durin I , who was called the deathless. Each one of the seven fathers became a king of his own clan, and each built his own great hall. Three major holds are known to have been built in the First Age. Belegost and Nogrod were built in the Blue Mountains , and the Dwarves of these holds formed alliances with the Ñoldor and fought in their wars. Durin I, on the other hand, wandered into a vale in the Misty Mountains he named Azanulbizar . In a still pool in that vale, he saw a reflection of himself with a crown of seven stars. Ever after, the constellation of stars that the Elves call Valacirca was called by the Dwarves Durin’s Crown , and it could be seen reflected in the water at any time of the day, though only Durin could see his own reflection. Durin I named the lake Kheled-zâram and proceeded to build his great hall, Khazad-dûm , in the mountains above.

In the First Age, the Dwarves made alliances with the Elves, and both prospered from trade. Dwarves from Belegost invented the famous Dwarf-mail of linked rings and fashioned the finest steel the world had ever seen. They also constructed the hall of Thingol , Menegroth , and were rewarded with the pearl Nimphelos . They fought alongside Elves and Men and participated in some of the major battles of the First Age , including The First Battle of Beleriand and the Nirnaeth Arnoediad in which the Dwarves of Belegost won great renown for being the only ones able to stand against the dragon Glaurung , for 'it was their custom moreover to wear great masks in battle hideous to look upon', which 'set them good stead against dragons', and besides they were 'naturally able to resist fire better than elves or men'. In that battle, Azaghâl the Lord of Belegost was killed by Glaurung, who crawled over him. Before dying, the dwarf stabbed at the dragon's belly with his knife and 'pricked him so deep that he fled back to Angband'. The Dwarves of Nogrod were famous for the craftsmanship of their weapons.

Most notable amongst their smiths was Telchar . Dwarves from Nogrod crafted the necklace Nauglamír , and Thingol requested Dwarven smiths from Nogrod to set a Silmaril into that necklace. Thus were united the greatest works of Elves and Dwarves. Those Dwarf-smiths were driven mad by gold-lust, however, and murdered Thingol and stole the necklace and the stone, igniting the bitter rivalry between Dwarves and Elves that would rage between the two races until the end of the Third Age. The Elves of Doriath pursued the smiths to their deaths and reclaimed Nauglamír. But two of the slayers of Thingol escaped from the pursuit and in Nogrod told how Dwarves were slain by command of the Elven-king, who thus would cheat them of their just reward. The Dwarves of Nogrod lamented the deaths of their kin and their great craftsmen and took thought of vengeance. Though the Dwarves of Belegost tried to dissuade them from their purpose, the Dwarves of Nogrod invaded Doriath .

After a hard battle in the Thousand Caves , the Dwarves of Nogrod were victorious and took Nauglamír and the Silmaril. On their return journey to the Blue Mountains , however, the Dwarves of Nogrod were assailed by a company that included Beren , his son Dior , and many Green-elves of Ossiriand . Many of the Dwarves were slain, and Beren himself slew the Lord of Nogrod and wrested from him the necklace Nauglamír. Some of the Dwarves escaped from the battle, but they were ambushed in the slopes beneath Mount Dolmed by the Shepherds of the Trees . Some stories from the first age tell of petty Dwarves who were called Noegyth Nibin . Those were Dwarves exiled from their homes during the Peace of Arda and were the first Dwarves to enter Beleriand . It was petty Dwarves who first inhabited and carved out The Caverns of Narog, which they called Nulukkizdîn , but were later taken over by Finrod and called Nargothrond .

The last of this line were Mîm and his two sons who lived at Amon Rûdh and aided Túrin in his adventures. Second Age Durin III as depicted in The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game , holding his Ring After the First Age most tales telling of Dwarves are about the Dwarves of the line of Durin, who are commonly called Durin’s Folk or Longbeards. Durin I enjoyed a very long life and lived through most of the First Age. Every now and then through the following ages a Dwarf was born of this line that was so alike to Durin that he was considered to be Durin reborn. Prophecy told that Durin would be reborn seven times and the coming of Durin VII would mark the decline of the Dwarves. Durin II was born in the Second Age. It is not known exactly when, but he was in power when the smith Narvi built the west gate of Khazad-dûm in the year 750.

His reign was an era of great prosperity in which the halls of Khazad-dûm were greatly expanded and the Noldorin Elves of Lindon moved into Eregion to trade with the Dwarves for mithril. Population boomed because many refugees from Belegost and Nogrod, which were destroyed at the end of the First Age, moved to Khazad-dûm. Durin III was in power around the year 1600 of the Second Age. He was gifted with the seventh and most powerful of the Dwarven Rings of Power . It was the Elven smith Celebrimbor and not Sauron who gave him the ring. The rings of power did not have the effects that Sauron had intended, possibly because Aulë had made the Dwarves especially resistant to evil domination. The only apparent effect of the Dwarven rings was that the Dwarves became more greedy with gold lust, but they were not turned into wraiths like men. Sauron tried to recover the rings. Two he reclaimed fairly soon and four ended up in dragon hoards.

Sauron did not reclaim the ring of Durin until the 2845th year of the Third Age when he captured Thráin II . 50,000 of Durin's folk helped in the battles of the Last Alliance. Third Age Durin VI was born in the 1731st year of the Third Age. At that time the race of Dwarves had already begun to dwindle. Awakening of the Balrog In the year 1980 of the Third Age the Dwarves were deepening their mithril mines when they stumbled upon a Balrog of Morgoth . Durin VI was slain by the Balrog, and a year later so was his son Nain I ( TA 1832 - TA 1981 ). After that the Dwarves of Durin's line fled and abandoned Khazad-dûm — but the Balrog , now known as Durin's bane, remained. Relocation from Khazad-dum Most of Durin’s Folk went to the Grey Mountains where they built new halls.

However Nain's son Thrain I ( TA 1934 - TA 2190 ), now King of Durin’s Folk, went to the Lonely Mountain and founded the kingdom of the Lonely Mountain in the year TA 1999 . Deep within the mountain he found an extraordinary jewel that he called the Arkenstone and regarded it as the greatest treasure of his house. Thrain's son Thorin I chose to stay in the Grey Mountains rather than in the Lonely Mountain, so between TA 2190 and TA 2590 the Grey Mountains were the seat of Kings. In TA 2589 , however, the Dwarven halls in that region were attacked by cold-drakes from the north. The King at the time, Dain I ( TA 2440 - TA 2589 ), was slain along with one of his sons, Frór ( TA 2552 - TA 2589 ). His older son Thrór ( TA 2542 - TA 2790 ) fled with his people to the Lonely Mountain. Sack of the Lonely Mountain Prelude Smaug enters the city of Erebor.

For 200 years the wealth and fame of Lonely Mountain grew, until the coming of the fire-drake . Small dragon attacks were prevalent as the dragons continued to notice the Dwarves' increasing stores of gold, jewels, precious metals, and other minerals, as well as crafted treasures and artifacts. The Attack on the Lonely Mountain Eventually, the inevitable came; Smaug the Terrible came to the Lonely Mountain in TA 2770 . The dragon attacked the nearby town of Dale, knocking down towers and breathing fire down upon the buildings, but causing little damage and death, for his main target was the treasury of the Lonely Mountain. He went down to the ground towards the Lonely Mountain and broke through the main door, and proceeded straight through the legion of Dwarven soldiers who were behind the door. The massive fire-drake completely disregarded the Dwarven soldiers' attacks and firepower and simply shrugged off anything they threw at him. The dragon went straight towards the treasury, ignoring the rest of the city and it's people. The Dwarves began to evacuate from the city in a vain attempt to get out of their city and to save what they could. The city of the Lonely Mountain was lost.

Thrór managed to escape through a back door with his family with most of the Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain evacuated, and the city and wealth of Durin's Folk lost. War of the Dwarves and Orcs A dwarven unit on the march in BFME2 Some time later Thrór gave his son Thráin II ( TA 2644 - TA 2858 ) the Ring of Power and started wandering the world with his friend Nar. He ended up in Khazad-dûm where he was murdered and mutilated by the Orc king Azog . This was the catalyst of a war that was called the War of Dwarves and Orcs. The war lasted seven years and ended in the Battle of Azanulbizar , in which Dáin Ironfoot ( TA 2767 - TA 3019 ) slew Azog. In the years to come the Ring of Power slowly poisoned Thráin's heart with greed, and in 2845 he ( Thráin II ) set out alone to reclaim the Lonely Mountain. This resulted in his being captured by Sauron, and he died in the dungeons of Dol Guldur .

The Quest of Erebor In 2941 Thorin Oakenshield , son of Thráin II , along with a company of 12 other Dwarves and the hobbit Bilbo Baggins , reclaimed the Lonely Mountain (with the help of three or four armies), but at the cost of Thorin’s life. Dain Ironfoot took up rule in the Lonely Mountain after that, and for a while the kingdom prospered in trade with the Elves of Mirkwood and Men of Dale. Balin's Expedition to reclaim Khazad-dum In TA 2989, one of Thorin’s companions, Balin (2763-2994), took a host of Dwarves from the Lonely Mountain in an attempt to reclaim Khazad-dûm. For five years they fought the Balrog and an army of Orcs . Balin was killed by an Orc arrow in 2994 and the remainder of his host was cut off when the Orcs captured the Bridge of Khazad-dûm and the east gate. Not so much as one Dwarf lived to tell the tale.

War of the Ring Gimli son of Gloin won considerable renown for the role he played in the War of the Ring . After the war he founded a new Dwarf Kingdom named Glittering Caves in the caves behind Helms Deep . Near the end of his life Gimli is said to have sailed with his Elven friend Legolas to the undying lands of Valinor which, if true, would have likely made him the only Dwarf to ever have made that journey. After the Battle of the Pelennor Fields , a force of 30,000 Longbeards and 20,000 Men of Dale held the Lonely Mountain in a similar siege against 200,000 Men of Rhun who had taken all of Brand 's lands, leaving only his capital city of Dale. The Dwarves and Men of Dale stood for three days against the Easterlings, and once the news of Sauron's death spread to the Lonely Mountain the Easterlings retreated, having lost over 100,000 troops, as opposed to the defenders who lost 14,000 Dwarves and 12,000 Men.

The sturdy nature of the Mountain Rock, combined with the Dwarven masonry and the Dwarven quality of the defenders' weapons, reduced the hitting power of the Easterlings' two-armed catapults and semi-automatic ballistas, and allowed the defenders to drive the attackers from the Mountain and out of Brand's realm. After the Third Age During the Fourth Age, which began after the destruction of Mordor and Sauron, Dwarves and Men re-forged their friendship. Dáin was killed during the War of the Ring , and was succeeded by his son Thorin III Stonehelm who ruled well into the Fourth Age. During this time, Dwarves from the Lonely Mountain helped rebuild cities in Gondor and the fortress of Helm's Deep , and some went to the newly established Dwarven realm of the Glittering Caves where Gimli was lord . Nevertheless, the Kingdom of the Lonely Mountain apparently continued to prosper throughout the Fourth Age. [3] [4] Fourth Age Not much is known about the Dwarves in the Fourth Age.

After the War of the Ring, Gimli brought a part of Durin's Folk from the Lonely Mountain to the Glittering Caves behind Helm's Deep and founded a colony there. Subsequently, Gimli went on many travels with his friend Legolas, and History lost track of their fate. Through their friendship and influence, the feud between the two races that had lasted for millennia finally ended, shortly before the departure of the last Elves from Middle-earth. It is rumored that Gimli and Legolas eventually boarded a ship that sailed down the river Anduin, out to sea and across to Valinor in the year FO 120 Gimli would thus have become the only Dwarf to ever be permitted to cross to the Undying Lands.

Durin VII (the Last), retook Moria and brought Khazad-dûm back to its original splendor, and the Longbeards lived there till the "world grew old and the days of Durin's race ended." Culture Appearance "It was a dwarf with a blue beard tucked into a golden belt, very bright eyes under his dark-green hood." — The Hobbit , Chapter 1: " An Unexpected Party " Dwarf-lords, raising their rings When Aulë created the Dwarves he had only a vague idea of what the Children of Ilúvatar should look like. Because of the threat of Morgoth over the world, Aulë made them very strong, both in body and character. Dwarves were a short, stocky race, a little taller than hobbits but much broader and heavier. Most Dwarves had thick, luxuriant beards in which they took great pride, and often forked or braided them and tucked them into their belts. A typical Dwarf They seem to have favoured simple durable clothing, coloured hoods and heavy cloaks for travelling, and belts of gold or silver.

For battle their soldiers would have elaborately crafted armor and helmets, bearing various angles and styles that were trademarks of Dwarven crafting styles. Their armor was masked with symbols (after the manner of those used in forges for shielding the eyes) that were hideous to look upon. An elder Dwarf Dwarven women were alike in manner, voice and appearance to their menfolk. They were few in number, less than a third of all dwarf-kind, and they were seldom seen outside their own halls, often not venturing far due to their duties as caretakers and crafters in Dwarven society. They typically only travelled when in great need, and they usually dressed similarly to Dwarf men. This often led other folk to believe there were no women among the Dwarves, that Dwarves grew from stone when created. Few female Dwarven warriors were known, but some tales say that female Dwarves were as fierce as their male counterparts, especially in protecting their families and offspring. Dwarves were usually monogamous, and fewer than one-third of Dwarven men took a wife, the rest busying themselves with their crafts.

Physiology King Dain II Dwarves were a proud and stern race and were made to be sturdy to resist the dangers of their time. They were physically very strong, had great endurance, especially in the ability to resist heat and cold, and they made light of heavy burdens. Dwarves lived longer than Men, [2] often up to two hundred and fifty years. The Dwarven lords of the First and Second Age may have lived for several hundred years. Dwarves had the ability to learn new artisanal skills quickly, especially those dealing with metal or stone. Dwarves were typically stubborn, secretive, and fiercely loyal to their friends. They cared greatly about mining, crafting, crafts, gold and gems, their acquisition of which often fueled the envy of the Elves. Dwarves were easily offended by rude comments, and had a propensity to hold long-lasting grudges. Dwarves were often seen as greedy, but their nature gave them resistance to many external influences, including to the evil of the Rings of Power given them.

Whereas the Men who owned the nine Rings were corrupted and became the Nazgûl , the Dwarves were unaffected, save by an increase of their goldlust and hatred for anything that stood between them and what they perceived as their treasure. Crafting Dwarves were taught special skills by the Vala Aulë and spent most of their time crafting, smithing and mining in their massive underground cities. The Dwarves were some of the greatest miners ever to exist in Middle-earth . The Dwarves dug immense halls under mountains where they built their cities. Dwarven miners dug for precious minerals such as gold, iron, copper, and silver from all over mountains in Middle-earth, though the Dwarves considered coal mining degrading. In ancient times, the Dwarves found Mithril in the mines of Khazad-dûm . While mining beneath the Lonely Mountains, they discovered the Arkenstone at the Heart of the Mountain. They were also capable masons and smiths - Dwarven smithing skills were said to be rivaled only by those of the Elves, and their masonry creations were bested by none.

The skill of the Dwarves was unmatched; they crafted objects of great beauty out of diamond, emerald, ruby and sapphire. Everything Dwarven was beautifully crafted and intricate. They crafted many famed weapons, armors, and items of art and beauty, among them Narsil , the sword of Elendil , the Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin and the necklace Nauglamír . Dwarven armies were vast and powerful, and possessed vast legions of soldiers, cavalry and siege weapons, and their soldiers were equipped with powerful weapons, armors and tools for battle. Many different weapons were utilized by their soldiers, such as swords, axes, throwing axes, throwing knives, and warhammers. They had a knack for starting a fire almost anywhere out of almost anything. Although they knew how, Dwarves did not farm or herd often, as they preferred to spend their time underground mining and crafting. They rather traded crafted items with men and elves in exchange for food. Architecture The deep halls of the Lonely Mountain. They built many famed halls including the Lonely Mountain, Belegost , Nogrod , Khazad-dum , and Menegroth .

The Dwarves also reforged the gates of Minas Tirith and rebuilt the walls of Helm's Deep after the War of the Ring . Their cities appeared to be constructed just under mountains or mountain ranges. Dwarven miners would excavate into the mountains to create an entrance, and then dig through and under the mountain to create the groundwork for their cities. Dwarven cities were absolutely massive and very expansive, reaching the far depths of the earth. Dwarves continued to mine in their cities to expand them and discover more resources like precious metals and minerals. Dwarven cities ran throughout mountains and mountain ranges, stretched up, down and side-to-side in the massive caverns beneath the surface, but it was largely unknown how cities were structured and sectioned off. In Khazad-dum, there was a section of the city known as the Chamber of Mazarbul , also known as the Chamber of Records. There were also sections of the city mentioned in the Book of Mazarbul such as the "First Hall," "Second Hall," "Third Deep," "Twenty-first hall" and the "North end." [5] The beauty of the Dwarves' cities was legend.

One stronghold, Erebor (located in the Lonely Mountains), had its wealth coming from precious gems hewn from rock and in "great seams of gold running like rivers through stone." A name for where the Dwarves' were located was Phurunargian, which meant Dwarf-delving in the Common Tongue. [6] Notable Dwarven Realms Ancient dwarven battle cry meaning "The axes of the dwarves! The dwarves are upon you!" Language The Dwarven language was created by Aulë when he created the Dwarves themselves, and called it Khuzdul , which meant 'Dwarvish'. The language was a harsh sounding tongue and sounded strange and harsh to other races, and no other non-dwarf did they permit to learn their language [1] for it was guarded jealously. They rarely spoke their own language around other races, and preferred to use the languages of other races when around them. Writing System The Dwarves used Angerthas , a runic writing system based on Cirth .

There were different variations of Angerthas, which varied by each Dwarven clan; the Dwarves of Khazad-dum had their own variation and introduced a number of unsystematic changes in the system. The Dwarves of Erebor also used a further modification of the system, which was known as the mode of Erebor. The mode of Erebor was notably exemplified in the Book of Mazarbul . [7] Some examples of Angerthas were seen in notable Dwarven texts, including the Book of Mazarbul, Thror's Map , as well as other objects such as the Key to the Side-door , the key which unlocked the side door of Erebor. Weapons and Armour "Each one of his folk was clad in a hauberk of steel mail that hung to his knees, and his legs were covered with hose of a fine and flexible metal mesh.... In battle they wielded heavy two-handed mattocks; but each of them had also a short broad sword at his side and a round shield slung at his back. Their beards were forked and plaited and thrust into their belts.

Their caps were of iron and they were shod with iron, and their faces were grim." — See Dwarven Weapons and Armour Dwarven soldiers usually used axes as their weapon of choice because it can be used as a tool or a weapon, but in addition to axes they used hatchets, mattocks, short swords , war hammers, and very occasionaly there is mention of Dwarven archers. As for armor, Dwarves favored chain-mail and other metallic armor — the most expensive and precious of which was ring mail made of mithril. (A vest of mithril was given to Bilbo by Thorin before The Battle of the Five Armies. It was worn during the battle and later protected his nephew Frodo throughout his quest.) Gandalf said that this small coat was worth more than the whole of the Shire combined. [8] Music Many songs were sung in the deep and grand halls of the Dwarves. One very notable song of the Dwarves was " Far over the Misty Mountains Cold ", also known as the "Song of the Lonely Mountain," and commonly referred by fans as the "Dwarf Song." [9] Another song sung in Dwarven culture was the Song of Durin .

This song told of the history of Khazad-dum/Moria and honored Durin , first leader of Durin's Folk. [8] Wicked Dwarves Of the races, Dwarves are the most resistant to corruption and influence of Morgoth and later Sauron. The seven rings of Power of the dwarves did not turn them to evil, but it did amplify their greed and lust for gold. It is said that very few willfully served the side of darkness. The Hobbit refers to these as wicked dwarves . [10] Of the seven houses few fought on either side during The Last Alliance at the end of the Second Age, and none from the House of Durin ever fought on the side of evil. [11] However, in times of war, Dwarves often refused to ally themselves with Elves or Men, choosing to remain neutral or oblivious to the clashes between good and evil. During the early parts of the Third Age, it is known that in some places wicked dwarves had made alliances with the goblins and orcs.

[12] It is suggested by Tolkien in some of his notes that the dwarves that turned to wickedness most likely came from the far eastern mansions (and perhaps some of the nearer ones), and came under the Shadow of Morgoth and finally turned to evil. It is however unclear if these refer to Dwarves beyond Iron Hills (the most eastern known stronghold of the Dwarves) [13] Because Dwarves are not evil by nature, few ever served the Enemy of their own free will (though rumors of Men suggest the total was greater). [6] In some of Tolkien's earliest writings the Dwarven race as a whole was portrayed as an evil creation of Melkor , but Tolkien's ideas evolved as he continued to write about the Dwarves. The Seven Clans The Dwarves' seven clans were: 1. Longbeards , also known as Durin's Folk; originally from Mount Gundabad they also founded the great Dwarf Mansion of Khazad-dûm (a.k.a. Moria or Dwarrowdelf) in the Misty Mountains , the Iron Hills , the holds in the Grey Mountains and, finally, the Lonely Mountain. 2-3. Firebeards & Broadbeams .

Originally from the Blue Mountains , they were paired but Tolkien never cleared which tribe built Nogrod and which Belegost . 4-5. Ironfists & Stiffbeards . Originated somewhere far in the East. 6-7. Blacklocks & Stonefoots . Originated somewhere (else) far in the East. The Seven Clans of the Dwarves descended from the Seven Dwarf Fathers created by Aulë Line of Durin's Folk The Blue Mountains or Ered Luin, where the cities Nogrod and Belegost existed during the First Age. The Grey Mountains or Ered Mithrin, although the dwarves were later driven out by dragons. They possibly lived in the Orocarni , the Red Mountains of the East. Names The Dwarves called themselves the Khazad, the name Aulë gave them; this translates as the Hadhodrim in Sindarin , and the Casari in Quenya . Casari was the common word for Dwarves among the Ñoldor , but the Sindar usually called them the Naugrim or Nogothrim, the Stunted People.

Dwarves would, as a rule, not tell people of other races their real names, but take names in Westron instead, and keep their real names secret, not even on their tombs would they inscribe it. Many Dwarven names in the works of Tolkien are taken from the poetic Viking prophecies, Völuspá (Old Norse: Vǫluspá). A significant part of the prophecy describes the pagan world view of the Vikings, and in that part can be found the Count of Dwarves, which is mostly a list of names. All the dwarf names from the Hobbit are taken from that source as well as the name of Gandalf . Some other names, such as Gimli (meaning shelter from fire), and Harlan are taken from the Icelandic language, but not from Völuspá. Only a few Dwarves in the works of Tolkien have original names in Khuzdul. These include Azaghâl , and Telchar . [6] In the earlier forms of Tolkien's Mythology , the Dwarves were also called the 'Nauglath'.

[14] Earlier Forms of the Legendarium In the earliest forms of Tolkien's Middle-earth mythology , the Dwarves were mistaken to be evil beings created by Melkor . [14] Translations around the World Tolkien in brief: The Hobbit | Books | The Guardian Tolkien in brief: The Hobbit Gandalf the wizard Share on Messenger Close We meet Bilbo Baggins standing outside his hobbit hole smoking a pipe. He is a respectable hobbit, disinclined towards anything which might qualify as an adventure ("Nasty, bothersome things", as he describes them). However, all this is soon to change as Gandalf, a wizard, strides into his life. Bilbo decides that Gandalf is "not quite his sort", and attempts to get rid of him, becoming so flustered that he inadvertently asks the wizard to tea. A knock on the door the following day reminds Bilbo of his promise, but he finds a dwarf, rather than a wizard, on the doorstep.

One dwarf quickly becomes 13, with Gandalf bringing up the rear, and when the whole company is assembled they reveal the purpose of their visit: they are setting out to reclaim their home - the Lonely Mountain - from the dragon, Smaug, who usurped them. Thorin Oakenshield, the leader of the company, asks Bilbo to accompany them, for they are 13 and this is an unlucky number. Against his better judgement, Mr Baggins finds himself joining them. After many adventures in many lands, their progress is halted when they reach the Misty Mountains, and are captured by goblins. The dwarves and Gandalf escape, but Bilbo is accidentally left behind. Crawling around in the dark, he finds a golden ring and pockets it. As he wanders through the goblins' tunnels, looking for a way out, he encounters a small, slimy creature called Gollum. Gollum challenges Bilbo to a riddle competition: if Gollum loses, he will show Bilbo the way out, but if Bilbo loses, Gollum will eat him.

At his wits' end, Bilbo puts his hands in his pockets, comes across the ring, and wonders aloud, "What have I got in my pocket?" Gollum cannot guess the answer and agrees to show Bilbo the way out. But the ring that Bilbo found belongs to Gollum, and Gollum guesses that Bilbo has it. Bilbo runs away, slipping the ring on his finger. Gollum races straight past him and inadvertently guides Bilbo to the gate. Bilbo escapes, and finds the dwarves, but decides to keep the story of his adventure to himself. The next obstacle is the forest of Mirkwood, where Gandalf leaves them. While in the forest, all except Bilbo are captured by the wood elves. Bilbo has discovered that the ring he found, when worn, makes him invisible. He hides in the wood elves' kingdom and rescues the dwarves, packing them in empty barrels which are floated upstream. Thus they come to Lake Town, which lies in the shadow of the Lonely Mountain. From here it is a short trip to the mountain itself. The company disturbs Smaug and he flies out to wreak havoc on the surrounding lands.

He burns down Lake Town, but is finally shot by a man named Bard. The dwarves are delighted and take back their kingdom, but others (the Lake Towners and the wood elves) feel they too have a claim to some of the treasure. They besiege the mountain, but then all join forces when the goblins arrive, also seeking the treasure. A great battle is fought and the dwarves, elves and men eventually prevail, but Thorin Oakenshield is killed. Bilbo returns home with a share of the treasure - and his magic ring.

Question: In Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit’ who is the leader of the Company of Dwarves?
Answer: Thorin Oakenshield